Healthcare Financial Management articles from June 2002

Healthcare Financial Management archives from June 2002

Achieving balance or setting priorities--which leads to success? (Letters to the Editor).(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2002... I enjoyed reading Jim Summers' and Michael Nowicki's enlightening article on balance, "Achievement and Balance: What Do Managers Really Want?" in the March 2002 issue of HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. The topic is one that everyone I know...

HHS unveils interactive compliance plan for HIPAA extension. (Updata).(Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... HHS has posted the interactive, electronic version of its previously released model compliance plan for obtaining a one-year implementation extension for the HIPAA transactions and code sets standards. Covered entities have the option of...

Emergency department overcrowding challenges hospitals. (Updata).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Hospitals are seeing a dramatic increase in visits to their emergency departments (EDs), exacerbating the problem of overcrowding due to staff shortages. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 108 million ED visits...

OSHA unveils ergonomics plans. (Updata).(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... On April 5, 2002, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled its new regulatory plans to prevent workplace ergonomics injuries. The approach is far less sweeping than would have been taken under the Clinton-era ergonomics...

HHS releases comparative data on nursing homes in six states. (Updata).(Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... HHS has released data from a six-state pilot project of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative, a program aimed at providing consumers with access to comparative data about local nursing homes' quality of care. Nursing homes serving Medicare and...

Andersen to continue serving providers under corporate integrity agreements. (Updata).(Arthur Andersen)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has clarified that providers under corporate integrity agreements may continue to work with Arthur Andersen on Federal healthcare program mailers even though the General Services Administration has...

Reports call for changes to CMS's debt-collection procedures. (Updata).(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Providers that owe the Medicare program money may soon be seeing new collection measures implemented on the heels of reports from the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG). The reports take the Centers...

HHS extends some special payments to SNFs. (Updata).(skilled nursing facilities)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Special payments for the care of medically complex patients at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will continue next year, HHS announced. The Balanced Budget Refinement Act mandated the "add-ons," totaling $1 billion annually, pending...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (In Brief).(Quarterly Provider Update)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a pilot edition of its Quarterly Provider Update, a new Web publication listing changes in Medicare and Medicaid regulations that either occurred in the previous quarter or are scheduled...

A new proposed rule would grant states the flexibility to permit nursing homes to use paid feeding assistants. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new proposed rule would grant states the flexibility to permit nursing homes to use paid feeding assistants. The assistants would be required to complete a training program. However, they would be considered single-task employees and...

The national hospital system HCA. (In Brief).(resolves Medicare issues)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The national hospital system HCA has agreed to pay the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services $250 million to resolve all Medicare cost-report, home-office-cost-statement, and appeal issues with the agency, the company announced. The deal,...

A U.S. District Court judge has granted an injunction that forced HHS into a second month-long delay. (In Brief).(Medicaid upper payment limit)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A U.S. District Court judge has granted an injunction that forced HHS into a second month-long delay in the effective date of cuts to the Medicaid upper payment limit (UPL). In March, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had agreed to...

Create the future. (Vantage Point).(Healthcare Financial Management Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Noted management expert Peter Drucker once said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." This quote serves as an inspiration to me, both in my continuing role as a healthcare financial professional and in my new role as the...

What members want. (Viewpoint).(Healthcare Financial Management Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... In the recent Mel Gibson movie, "What Women Want," Gibson played a character who could listen to the private thoughts of women, which ultimately led him to a deeper understanding and appreciation of women's wants and needs. Think how valuable...

2001 Healthcare fraud investigations net $1.3 billion. (In the News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Federal government's efforts in detecting and eliminating healthcare fraud resulted in the collection of $1 .3 billion in 2001. Of this amount, 90 percent was returned to the Medicare Trust Fund. An additional $42.8 million was recovered as...

Pacificare to pay $87 million settlement. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... PacifiCare Health Systems, Santa Ana, California, has agreed to pay the Federal government $87.3 million to settle allegations that it and its predecessor companies violated the False Claims Act with respect to claims submitted to the Office of...

CMS says not-for-profit hospitals have stabilized. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The hospital industry shows signs of recovery and stabilization, but continued cost pressures loom on the horizon, reports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in its Health Care Industry Market Update for acute-care hospitals....

www.nokia.com.aboutnokia/downloads/pds/nokiaway.pdf. (Web Sights).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Visitors to this vendor site can read about a distinctive management approach, the Nokia Way.

www.nursingworld.org/naf. (Web Sights).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Visitors to this site will be able to access information about ways to address the nursing shortage.

www.asrt.arg/toolkit/tool_kit.htm. (Web Sights).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... This American Society of Radiologic Technologists Web site offers information on recruitment and retention of radiologic technologists.

www.njha.com/healthrecruitment. (Web Sights).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Visitors to this New Jersey Hospital Association site will find information about healthcare careers.

CalPERS hikes HMO premiums 25 percent. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Sacramento, California-based CalPERS, the largest purchaser of public employee health benefits in California and the second largest in the nation after the Federal government, has approved a 2003 healthcare package that includes a record rate...

UnitedHealth earnings up in first quarter 2002. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... UnitedHealth Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota, achieved record results in the first quarter of 2002, with revenues of $6.01 billion, up from $5.68 billion for the first quarter of 2001. Earnings from operations for the first quarter of 2002...

Aetna reports net loss in first quarter of 2002. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Aetna, Hartford, Connecticut, reported operating earnings of $5.25 billion for the first quarter of 2002, down from $6.43 billion for the first quarter of 2001. The company also reported an operating margin of 3.2 percent for the first quarter...

Overhaul of healthcare system needed, CED says. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The U.S. healthcare system is facing a future of rising costs, more limited access, and inadequate quality, states a report by the Committee for Economic Development (CED), Washington, D.C. The willingness of large private employers to confront...

Retiree health benefits continue to drop. (Industry Scan).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Large employers are considerably more likely than small and midsized employers to offer retiree health benefits, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Health Research and Educational Trust. In...

HFMA continues to track HIPAA readiness. (HFMA News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... To help healthcare financial managers assess their organizations' level of preparedness to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as compared with that of other healthcare organizations, HFMA...

Editor-in-chief named for Healthcare Financial Management Magazine. (HFMA News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Robert Fromberg has been named editor-in-chief of HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT magazine. He brings to the organization more than 15 years of health-care publishing experience. "I am delighted to be joining this excellent team to produce...

HFMA issues results of 2002 healthcare supply-chain survey. (HFMA News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... HFMA recently published results of a survey identifying barriers, trends, and best practices related to supply-chain management. The survey found that physician preference is the most significant barrier faced by healthcare executives and...

Boutique health care: Opportunity or inequity? (FYI).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... "Some folks... may as yet feel uncomfortable with [boutique medicine]. Their children and grandchildren will view it as American as apple pie--as we now do boutique education." --Uwe Reinhardt, professor of healthcare economics at...

Speranzo: Ensuring large health system accountability in the wake of Enron. (Executive Insights).(Interview)
June 1, 2002... Anthony J. Speranzo, MBA, is senior vice president and CFO of St. Louis, Missouri-based Ascension Health, the nation's largest not-for-pro fit health system, with healthcare facilities in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Speranzo joined...

Internet-based search tools can help reduce bad debt. (Business).
June 1, 2002... The healthcare industry wrote off more than $20 billion in bad debt in 1999 alone, according to one estimate. Bills frequently do not reach patients because healthcare organizations do not have accurate patient contact and billing information....

Improving managed care value through customer service. (Managed Care).
June 1, 2002... The ability of managed care providers to deliver high-quality customer service to managed care customers depends on their adoption of bask customer-service principles. To apply these principles effectively, providers need to understand and work...

A commitment to the profession. (Chairman's Profile).(Phyllis A. Cowling, FHFMA, CPA, the 52nd chief elected officer of the Healthcare Financial Management Association)
June 1, 2002... On June 1, 2002, Phyllis A. Cowling, FHFMA, CPA, became the 52nd chief elected officer of the Healthcare Financial Management Association when she assumed the office of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Cowling, 40, is vice president and CEO...

Winning employee retention strategies for today's healthcare organizations.
June 1, 2002... Employees today want more out of a job than a big salary. Workers expectations have shifted over the past few decades. Employers need to recognize five key changes in worker's expectations, namely that they want to lead balanced lives, enjoy...

Raising the bar on recruitment and retention.
June 1, 2002... Although finding and keeping talented staff is a problem that affects virtually every healthcare organization, Falls Church, Virginia-based Inova Health System found itself particularly challenged by a fiercely competitive market and failing...

Using internet technology to streamline healthcare recruiting.
June 1, 2002... The staffing shortages currently facing healthcare organizations may become more severe in the future. Using the Internet to facilitate the process of identifying, interviewing and hiring candidates for healthcare positions can result in cost...

To meet tomorrow's challenges, we must "create the future" today.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... We are living in uncertain times. The tumultuous events that recently confronted our nation have left us wondering what the future will bring. And today's atmosphere of uncertainty extends to the healthcare industry, with renewed concerns about...

Keynoters address technology, trends, and creative thinking.(HFMA's 2002 Annual National Institute)
June 1, 2002... General Sessions at HFMA's 2002 Annual National Institute will offer attendees the opportunity to share a range of views from noted and noteworthy keynote speakers. Canton to Tell How to Compete in Digital Age James Canton, PhD,...

Preconference activities expand the ANI learning experience.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Five full-day preconference programs will be held on Sunday, June 16, from 8 to 5 PM, prior to the opening of ANI on Monday, June 17. Patient Financial Services Conference--Magic Million-Dollar Bottom-Line Solutions will begin with an...

2002 ANI concurrent sessions.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... MONDAY, JUNE 17 10:30 AM -12:30 PM Improved Management of Outpatient Services with APCs David N. Fee, outpatient domain manager, 3M Health Information Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota YOU'LL LEARN To determine areas affecting...

Evaluating the organizational effectiveness of APC implementation efforts.(Ambulatory payment classifications)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT has included this article in the 2002 HFMA ANI Guide as a special service to ANI attendees. The article is intended to enhance participation in ANI sessions that focus on Medicare outpatient PPS and APCs. To...

Special event at ANI.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... ANI's special events offer many rich opportunities for learning, networking, and just relaxing and having a good time. Be sure to check out as many of them as you can. SUNDAY, JUNE 16 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM First-Time Attendees...

ANI offers career-enhancing certification opportunities.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... HFMA certification is a recognized mark of distinction in the healthcare financial management profession. Recent surveys show a correlation between professional certification and career advancement. Certified members receive higher compensation...

ANI exhibitor list.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... ANI Exhibitor List BOOTH A/R & RECOVERY AUDITS The Kramer Group, Inc. 942 A/R CLEAN-UP I.C. System, Inc. 211 ACCOUNTS PAYABLE/RECOVERY...

Washington state: a laboratory for healthcare policy.
June 1, 2002... Visitors to Seattle can rest assured that if they need medical care, they are steps away from some of the finest hospitals in the nation. And, if they venture out to the wine country in Yakima, the Olympic Peninsula, and other more remote areas...

Seattle sites: visiting the best of the Pacific Northwest.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Whether catching some of the Emerald City's spectacular mountain views or learning about its rich cultural history visitors to Seattle will find plenty of things to see and do. A wide variety of museums, wildlife outings, and fun family...

Assessing the impact of medicare payment changes. (Medicare/Medicaid).
June 1, 2002... A reduction in the conversion factor applied to Medicare's payment equation has many providers concerned about financial loss. Some of this concern is justified, as most practices will see a decline in revenue that could result in a similar...

Use of electronic signatures: past and present. (Digital Perspectives).
June 1, 2002... The healthcare industry could achieve greater convenience and efficiency by adopting a national standard regarding the use of electronic signatures. As a term, "electronic signatures" refers to any electronic means to indicate consent to the...

Bonita R. Severson. (People).(Director, business development, Omnium Healthcare Receivable Services, Omaha, Nebraska.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Bonita R. Severson (Nebraska Chapter) has been promoted from regional manager, business development, to director, business development, Omnium Healthcare Receivable Services, Omaha, Nebraska.

H. Terry Hancock. (People).(elected chairman of the partnership board, Clifton Gunderson LLP)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... H. Terry Hancock, CPA (Maryland Chapter), partner-in-charge, Mid-Atlantic Client Service Center, Clifton Gunderson LLP, Lutherville, Maryland, has been elected chairman of the firm's partnership board.

Kevin R. Baldwin. (People).(Pricewaterhouse's new partner)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Kevin R. Baldwin, MBA (Georgia Chapter), has been named a partner and southeast region revenue cycle practice leader, Pricewaterhouse-Baldwin Coopers, Atlanta, Georgia. Previously, he was a founding partner, V4 Consulting, Atlanta, Georgia.

Marianne Labahn. (People).(Ibex Healthdata Systems Inc.'s names new manager)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Marianne Labahnn, MS (First Illinois Chapter), has been named manager, special services, Ibex Healthdata Systems, Inc., Rosemont, Illinois. She had been compliance coordinator, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.

Tiffany Thompson. (People).(Omnium Healthcare Receivable Services names new regional manager)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Tiffany Thompson, MPA (Iowa Chapter), has been named regional manager, business development, Omnium Healthcare Receivable Services, Des Moines, Iowa. Previously she was director, patient financial services, Metropolitan Medical Center, Des...

Karun Kapur. (People).(Saint Agnes Medical Center names new financial director)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Karun Kapur, MHA (Southern California Chapter), has been appointed director, financial planning and analysis, Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, California. Previously he was senior consultant, Hamilton-HMC/Kurt Salmon Associates, San...

Karen E. Dufault. (People).(Jewish Memorial Hospital names new v-p)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Karen E. Dufault, MHA (Massachusetts Chapter), has been appointed vice president, finance/CFO/COO, Jewish Memorial Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts. Previously she was vice president, finance/CFO, Youville...

Broadening the use of financial data to improve patient care. (Data Trends).(Hospitals identify non-cost-effective physicians)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Healthcare CFOs can use financial data not only to reduce utilization and supply costs, but also to identify variability in physician practices, increase adherence to evidence-based guidelines, and ultimately improve quality of care. By...